What do you do if your social impact initiatives require effective delegation skills?

1 Why delegate?

Delegation is not just a matter of convenience or necessity, but also a matter of strategy and leadership. When you delegate tasks to your team members, you are not only freeing up your own time and energy, but also giving them opportunities to learn, grow, and contribute. Delegation can help you build trust, respect, and rapport with your team, as well as leverage their diverse skills, perspectives, and strengths. Delegation can also help you avoid burnout, stress, and fatigue, which can affect your performance and well-being. By delegating, you can focus on the most important and strategic aspects of your initiative, while ensuring that the operational and tactical tasks are handled efficiently and effectively.

2 What to delegate?

The first step to delegate effectively is to decide which tasks you can and should delegate and which you need to keep for yourself. The Eisenhower matrix is a useful framework to help with this decision, as it categorizes tasks based on their urgency and importance. You should take on tasks that are both urgent and important yourself, as they are critical for your initiative's success and require immediate attention. Delegate tasks that are urgent but not important to someone else, as they are time-sensitive but not strategic or impactful. Schedule important but not urgent tasks for later, as they are valuable for your initiative's long-term goals and vision but don't require immediate action. Lastly, eliminate tasks that are neither urgent nor important, as they are irrelevant or distracting for your initiative's purpose and mission.

3 Who to delegate to?

The next step to delegate effectively is to choose the right person for each task. This requires an in-depth understanding of your team members' skills, interests, availability, and preferences. Delegate tasks to people who have the competence and confidence to complete them successfully, as well as the motivation and enthusiasm to take on the challenge. Additionally, consider tasks that offer learning and development opportunities, recognition, and feedback for the person. When selecting who to delegate to, take into account the task's complexity, difficulty, duration, the person's experience, expertise, knowledge, workload capacity, goals aspirations and strengths, as well as their style, personality and communication preferences.

4 How to delegate?

The final step to delegate effectively is to communicate clearly and respectfully with the person you are delegating to, and provide them with the necessary support and guidance. You should explain the why, what, and how of the task, and answer any questions or concerns that the person may have. Additionally, it's important to empower the person to make decisions and solve problems, while avoiding micromanaging or interfering with their work. Furthermore, encourage the person to ask for help or clarification when needed, and be available and responsive to their requests. Appreciate their efforts and achievements, while acknowledging their contributions and impact. Lastly, review the task's outcomes and outputs, and provide constructive and timely feedback. Delegation is a key skill for any social impact leader or practitioner, as it can help you optimize resources, enhance your impact, and develop your team. By following these tips, you can delegate tasks effectively for your social impact initiatives, creating a culture of trust, collaboration, and learning.